


Inception Collection

by fairytalegay



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Drabble Collection, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-11-29 10:12:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18221753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairytalegay/pseuds/fairytalegay
Summary: just a collection of arthur/eames drabbles because i just got into a fandom for a movie that came out nine years ago and by some miracle the fandom isn't dead





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the prompt for this was “What if I kissed you right now?” and its either pre-canon or post-canon, you decide

“Fuck, I told you he would notice two men tailing him.” Arthur groaned as their mark looked across at them for the fourth time.

 

Eames, as ever, was unaffected. It was his idea for Arthur to come along, which is why Arthur has spent the last two hours wandering the streets of Vienna. He had always wanted to go to Vienna too, but he’s not exactly had time to sightsee. Now he’s stuck in a small cafe with far too low ceilings and overpriced coffee, crammed in a booth so he’s shoulder to shoulder with Eames.

 

“Seriously Eames,” Arthur hissed. “We’re cornered here. He’s blocking our exit, and we know for a fact he’s armed. I’m not having a shoot-out in here.”

 

“So we convince him we’re not interested in him.” Eames replied while stirring his tea nonchalantly. “What if I kissed you right now?”

 

Arthur choked on his shitty coffee. “ _What_?”

 

“I said, what if I kissed you right now?”

 

“No, no. I heard you the first time. You know that move only works in spy movies, right?” Arthur attempted to keep his voice level, and attempted to not think about Eames kissing him.

 

Eames laughed softly and smirked at Arthur. “Darling, we are con men who are following a mafia member around Vienna on the orders of the Austrian government. Our life is a spy movie.”

 

Arthur considers this, and is about to reply with a witty and sarcastic remark, when Eames’ hand comes up to cup his cheek. He runs the pad of his thumb along Arthur’s bottom lip, causing Arthur to take a shaky breath and try not to melt under the combination of Eames’ hands on him and Eames eyes looking at him like he’s the most important thing in the world. Eames then leans in and finally, finally presses their lips together. He tastes like peppermint tea and cigarette smoke and something else that Arthur can’t quite place. Arthur can’t help but lean into it more, curling his hand round the back of Eames’ neck to pull him closer.

 

Eames is the one that pulls away, leaning in and whispering into Arthur’s ear. “He’s not looking anymore, but we should do it again, just to be safe.”

 

Arthur pulls back and raises a sceptical eyebrow, but his dimples give away the grin he was attempting to suppress.

 

“Well, better safe than sorry.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the prompt for this one was “You lied to me.” and it ended up being way longer than i meant whoops (this is set like two days before they actually go into fischer's dream)

Ariadne didn't mean to overhear them, honestly. She was just packing up for the day when she heard a voice at the other end of the warehouse, so naturally she had to investigate. She was pretty engrossed in her work earlier, so she wasn't actually sure who was still here.

Sure, she walked as quietly as she should, and yeah, maybe she snuck behind the stacks of boxes. She didn't want to scare the person off! Plus, if she's learned anything from her continuing attempts to find out what Cobb's "tests" are, it's that you can't just straight up walk up to these people and ask what they're doing.  
  
As she nears the source, she recognises it as the low rumble of Eames' voice. But there's something different about it, something she doesn't recognise. His tone is gentle, softer than she's ever heard him. She creeps closer to hear what he's saying, squatting behind a crate, the handle acting as a perfect window.   
  
She immediately regrets squatting. It takes all her core strength (thank god she does yoga) not to fall on her ass at what she sees. Eames' isn't talking on the phone like Ariadne thought, he's speaking to Arthur. Arthur, who is sitting on his lap and curling into Eames's chest. What the fuck, she wants to yell. Eames is playing with the curls of hair at the nape of Arthur's neck, causing Arthur to let out content hums, his eyes half shut.   
  
Ariadne marvels at the Arthur she sees here. He's so different from the Arthur she knows, so much more... relaxed. The Arthur she knows is like an ever-vigilant soldier, constantly frowning and furrowing his brow. This Arthur appears to be in bliss. All his guards are down, and Ariadne doesn't think he even realises. He seems happy, she thinks. It looks good on him.   
  
She can hear what Eames is saying now, she realises.   
  
"...and we'll get a house, a big townhouse on the edge of london. You can decorate it however you want, fill it with all your trippy paintings. We'll have a big back garden, 'cause we'll have a dog. That's really just for me though, we can get you a cat. A black one with dark eyes, like a little mini you. And you can get up at six like the nutter you are, and go for your insane morning jogs. Maybe you could take the dog! When you get back I'll be awake, and I'll have made breakfast. We eat it at the breakfast bar, 'cause that's what it's there for I guess. You can spread your gigantic newspaper across the counter and get annoyed at me when I tell you the answers to the crossword."   
  
"I'm always just about to get them." Arthur mumbles, but he's smiling. His dimples give it away.   
  
Ariadne realises this is a private, intimate moment. This is an Arthur only Eames gets to see, and an Eames only Arthur gets to hear. She plans to back away as quietly as before, and make sure to never mention any of this. Then her legs give out. So much for yoga.   
  
She topples backwards, bringing the crate down beside her, causing a crash. She opens her eyes to find Arthur and Eames standing over her, both pointing guns at her. She raises her arms and says the only thing she can think of.   
  
"You lied to me!"   
  
Eames looks confused and lowers his gun, Arthur narrows his eyes and doesn't move his hand until Eames pushes his hand down, giving him a look as if to say "Cmon, it's Ariadne."   
  
Ariadne clambers to her feet and elaborates. "I asked both of you if you were dating each other, and you both said no!"   
  
Arthur and Eames look at each other, and do that telepathic couple conversation thing where they talk through facial expressions like she sees her parents do.   
  
She decides to continue, as neither of them have said anything out loud. "I even asked you what you thought of each other. Arthur, you said Eames was 'intolerable, frustrating, and had a dress sense like he ran blind into a dumpster'."   
  
Arthur nods in what Ariadne can only guess is agreement with himself, and Eames weirdly gives Arthur a fond smile.   
  
"And Eames, you said Arthur was 'a stick in the mud, and the most annoyingly pedantic person you could ever meet' but had, and I quote, 'a spectacular arse'."   
  
Eames grins wickedly at that, and Arthur kicks his ankle, though Ariadne swears his ears turn a faint red.   
  
She looks expectantly at them.   
  
"We weren't lying to you, we're not dating." Arthur says eventually. "We're married."   
  
"And we stand by all those things we said about each other." Eames smirks.   
  
Ariadne gapes, looking between the two of them. "You're- but you- I thought... how long?"   
  
"We don't need to tell you that." Arthur says, as Eames says at the same time, "Two years."   
  
Arthur scowls at Eames, who merely laughs.   
  
"Wow." Ariadne breathes out. Then she thinks. "But, how? Where?"   
  
Arthur opens his mouth, most likely to rebut her, but Eames cuts him of with one word. "Amsterdam."   
  
"I'm sorry I eavesdropped on you guys." She admits. "I could only hear Eames, I thought he might be talking about cool super secret spy stuff. All I seem to get is mazes and Cobb being angsty."   
  
Eames laughs again, and Ariadne notices Arthur's posture relaxes slightly.   
  
"You're forgiven, love." Eames smiles. "Just don't do it again."   
  
"So... should I give away that I know this around the others?" Ariadne asks.   
  
"Oh, it's not a secret." Eames smirks. "All you had to do was ask."   
  
Arthur cackles as Ariadne storms away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the prompt was “au where eames is a demon and arthur accidentally summons him”, courtesy of my bf

Arthur has a bad habit of reading out loud. He's done it since he was a kid, and it was always getting him into trouble. Never trouble quite like this, though.

 

He was clearing out the cupboard of his new apartment, the last owners had left a bunch of shit behind, when he found a huge, ancient looking book. It was heavy as hell, but Arthur took it off the shelve anyway and laid it on the hallway rug. When he opened it a cloud of smoke blew into his face, sending him into a spluttering cough.

 

He was disappointed to find that the book wasn't in English, nor any language he could recognise. There were no illustrations, just walls of text. He opened it to a random page, and tried to read the first line.

 

As soon as the words left his mouth, all the lights in the house went out. Arthur frowned, all the electrics were brand new. He'll have to write to the landlord. Then the dim hallway was filled with smoke, which kinda weirded Arthur out.

 

Out from a large cloud of smoke, stepped a man. He was huge, at least 6'8, Arthur thought. Maybe seven foot, he pondered, as the man got closer. He was well built, and covered in tattoos. Arthur could tell this because he wasn't wearing a shirt.

 

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" Arthur asked.

 

The man stopped in his tracks and looked at Arthur confused.

 

"I have giant horns, and you noticed that I'm not wearing a shirt?"

 

The man's voice sounded like a hundred men speaking at once. Pretty cool trick, Arthur thought. He also had an English accent.

 

"Are you from England?"

 

The demon looked even more confused. 

 

"What? No, I'm from Hell."

 

"Oh." Arthur said. "Are you a demon?"

 

"No, I'm a leprechaun." The demon rolled his eyes, "Of course I'm a demon. You should know that, you summoned me."

 

Then it dawned on Arthur. "Oh, so that's what that was."

 

The demon looked exasperated, he rubbed his forehead between his horns with a clawed hand.

 

"So, what, you didn't even  _ mean  _ to summon me?"

 

Arthur shrugged, "Sorry dude."

 

The demon sighed and leant against Arthur bookcase, causing it to shake, so he just stood up straight again.

 

"Would you mind turning my lights back on?"

 

The demon snapped his fingers, and the hall was lit up once again. Arthur walked up to get a better look at him, marvelling at how the demon towered over him. He noticed the demon had bright green eyes.

 

"You have really nice eyes. I would have thought your eyes would be black or red or some shit."

 

The demon contorted his face into what Arthur might describe as a smile, but he was distracted by how sharp the demon's teeth were.

 

"What's your name?" 

 

Arthur stopped tracing the tattoos on the demon's bicep to answer, "Arthur." He paused, and then added, "What's yours?"

 

"Eames." the demon - Eames - rumbled.

 

Arthur smiled. "While you're here, I have some beers in the fridge?"

 

Eames bit his lip (Arthur had no idea how it didn't bleed, and wow, he has  _ really  _ nice lips.) and scratched the back of his neck.

 

"Why not."

 

So Arthur headed to the kitchen, demon trailing behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the prompt was “I got up at 2 am to get some snacks at the convenience store down the street and opened my door to find you trying to sleep in the hallway because your roommate has his fiance over so i guess i’ll lend you my couch au”
> 
> (this one was satisfying to write because as it was from eames' pov i didnt need to change words and phrases to be american)

It's two am and Eames has just run out of Doritos. So he does what any sane person would do, and pulls on a pair of trousers and heads out on a mission.

 

Well, he tries to head out. His door won't open all the way. He looks through the gap and sees nothing, then he looks down and sees a lump under a duvet. He sticks his foot out and kicks the lump, trying to move it.

 

The duvet falls back, and the lump is revealed to be a very attractive yet dishevelled man. The man rubs his eyes, then bolts upright. He shuffles out of the way of Eames door, dragging his duvet so he's sitting against the opposite wall. Eames steps out, and raises an eyebrow at the man.

 

"I'm sorry I was in your way," the man says, and Eames notes that he's American, "I just kinda passed out when I left my room."

 

Eames furrows his brow in confusion. "Why... why are you sleeping in the corridor?"

 

"Oh!" the man seems to just realise how strange this all is. "My roommate, his fiance just came over all the way from fucking France. She's staying with him, and there's no way I'm sharing a room with them. So, hallway."

 

The man said the last sentence like it was very simple and logical, like it's the kind of thing people do all the time. Maybe it is, maybe it's an American thing, Eames thinks. He's only been in the country a few months, after all.

 

Eames thinks. Then he decides.

 

"What's your name?" he asks.

 

"Arthur." the man answer, propping his pillow against the wall.

 

"Nice to meet you Arthur, I'm Eames. I have a king sized bed in my room. I know it's not great, the whole having to share a bed with a stranger thing, but it's better than sleeping in the corridor."

 

Arthur looks around the corridor, then at Eames. Then he stands up.

 

***

 

Arthur dumped his pillow and duvet on the floor, and he pretty much fell onto Eames' bed. He also chose the side that Eames never sleeps on. Huh.

 

Arthur was already in his pyjamas (flannel button ups, they're adorable), so Eames changes in the bathroom. Normally he would just sleep in his boxers, but it didn't feel entirely appropriate in this situation. So he chucks on a pair of joggers, and smirks to himself as Arthur eyes widen at Eames' shirtless torso.

 

"You gotta lot of tattoos." Arthur mumbles, half asleep.

 

Eames just hums in agreement, and gets into his side, making sure to stay right by the edge of the mattress. Within five minutes, Arthur is sound asleep. It takes Eames a little bit longer, what with a gorgeous stranger in his bed and all.

 

Right as Eames feels himself drift off, he also feels a warm body next to him. In his sleep, Arthur has rolled over to Eames. Arthur, still asleep, reaches an arm out and pulls him closer by the waist. Eames is too tired (or too smitten) to move.

 

Eames, in fact, does move closer, he moves so he's practically cradling Arthur. The two men are about the same height, but Arthur looks tiny compared to Eames' bulk. Arthur takes Eames' hand, and Eames falls asleep holding Arthur in his arms. He doesn't think he's ever slept better.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a very very shot one from another beautiful prompt from my bf: "DANCING TO L O V E BY NAT KING COLE"

Eames holds his hand out to Arthur.  
  


"Dance with me, love?"  
  


Arthur frowns. They're on the rooftop of the warehouse, Arthur's notes spread out as Eames smokes.  
  


"There's no music." Arthur points out.  
  


"Ah," Eames smiles, "do you really think a little thing like that would stop us?"  
  


Eames' hand is still out, so Arthur takes it. (Albeit after tidying his notes into a neat stack.)  
  


Eames pulls Arthur close, his other hand slipping to the small of Arthur's waist. They sway.  
  


Arthur sings. Softly, "L, is for the way you look at me."  
  


Eames looks at Arthur, an eyebrow raised teasingly, but the corner of his lips turning up.  
  


Arthur sings, and they dance to match it. Eames loves spinning and dipping Arthur, who doesn't even stumble as he sings.

  
The Paris sunrise makes them glow golden, as Eames kisses Arthur when his song finishes. They fit together, slightly panting and starry-eyed.  
  


"Love is meant for me and you."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay the context for this is the idea that arthur and eames were a couple but broke up some time before the fischer job, and this is set like ten minutes post canon

Because after it’s all over, after it’s finally done, Eames corners Arthur outside the airport. He knows Arthur is going to hiss that he's ruining their perfect walk-away, but he doesn't care. So he doesn't let Arthur complain, he starts talking. He says everything he should have said before.

 

He shouldn't have let Arthur go. He shouldn't have listened to his own insecurities and lashed out. He shouldn't have let Arthur's rash words cut so deep, when he knew Arthur didn't mean them. He shouldn't have said all those things. He shouldn't have used Arthur's real name. He shouldn't have ran away to Mombasa. He shouldn’t have ignored Arthur's texts and let it build up and he shouldn't have properly ended things in a drunken voicemail.

 

Arthur's crying. Eames might be too. And he tells Arthur that seeing him again felt worse than any death he's ever experienced. Because Arthur looked so composed, like nothing had even happened between them. And he says that when he called arthur darling, he meant it. He says that after almost being lost in fucking limbo and going through all that shit, he realises. None of it matters. Nothing matters, as long as he's without his arthur. He can't go another day without him, in these two years he's never felt so lost. Arthur keeps him grounded. Arthur is his totem.

 

Oh Eames, Arthur says. Mr Eames, I may as well have been in limbo when I was without you, he says. Their tears run together when they kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> im on tumblr at fairytalegay! come yell about these husbands or inception in general with me! also comments are always appreciated


End file.
